Police said early Wednesday afternoon that a report of a man carrying a rifle near the UTC campus and wearing a vest turned out to be just a police officer finishing his shift.
The incident initially brought fears that an active shooter might be on campus and it drew dozens of police officers to the scene.
The officer "was just getting ready to go home and go to bed after working his shift," authorities said.
UTC officials, shortly before noon on Wednesday, warned students of a man seen carrying a rifle near the campus.
Some students said the man with the rifle went into Fletcher Hall. UTC's Shawn Ryan later said, however, that a gunman never actually stepped foot on campus. Police, however, did extensive sweeps through Fletcher Hall.
The man with the gun was described as a white male with blond hair.
The University had advised students, faculty and staff, "UTC Police and Chattanooga Police have received a report of and are actively searching for a white man with blond hair, reported to be wearing a tactical-style vest, carrying a rifle and walking on the east side of campus down W. 8th Street toward UTC. You're urged to be aware of your surroundings and, if you see anything suspicious, call UTC Police at 425-4357."
UTC Student Body President Stan Settles said, "Every student wants two things when they come to college - a good education and a safe community to live, learn, and grow. Today, there was an incident involving a report of a suspect approaching Campus with a rifle. Police responded swiftly and without hesitation. We cannot thank our first responders enough.
"I alongside my entire executive team, and fellow members of the student government association will be working closely with the UTC Administration to make sure that we are prepared to move forward for whatever comes our way. We plan to discuss a more informative notification system, and a plan of action for communicating and responding to campus safety issues that will benefit our student body to ensure we’re safe and secure.
"SGA remains committed to making UTC a better place for all students and we are determined to help provide them with a safe community. I look forward to working with administrators, faculty, staff, and all my fellow students to make this happen. In a tough situation, we were able to see first responders and our UTC administration work together to make sure students were safe. Thank you to the UT Chattanooga Police Department, Chattanooga Police Department, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department, and our administration for moving swift during this process.
"The Student Outreach and Support and Counseling Center are available to anyone who needs it. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to them."